MEM2BIO - removal of pesticides from ground water

Contamination of the ground water due to pesticides is an increasing problem in Denmark. In a new pilot project supported by Innovation Fund Denmark, researchers will develop a green technology for cleaning contaminated drinking water at the waterworks.

The idea behind the MEM2BIO project is to combine two well-known technologies membrane filtration and biofiltration. Separately the two technologies have shown great potential for purification of drinking water, but with some challenges - which seem to be overcome by combining the technologies.

SILHORKO-EUROWATER is responsible for the design and delivery of the water treatment plant. Two years of initial analysis underlie the several performance specifications that the plant comply with. Especially the concentrate has been center of attention in order to keep the pesticide degrading bacteria alive in the biofilter. 

The plant is constructed in a closed trailer, which makes the equipment mobile and easy to relocate to waterworks and other sources, where the pilot test is taken place.  

You can keep track with the project on www.mem2bio.dk

The MEM2BIO process

The contaminated water with pesticides is treated with a reverse osmosis membrane. Afterwards the concentrated water with pesticides are put through the biological filter where specific pesticide degrading bacteria and organisms “eat” the pesticide residues without contaminating the water.  

A strong collaboration

MEM2BIO is a collaboration between three research institutions, two water utilities and two water technology companies of which SILHORKO-EUROWATER is one of them. This partnership combines 360^o know-how about drinking water, which makes it a strong foundation for developing a green technology to secure the drinking water quality in the future.